Luo elders reject Siaya nuclear plant plan

A section of Luo elders has strongly opposed government plans to construct a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Siaya County, citing potential health and environmental risks to Lake Victoria and surrounding communities.

The elders, speaking after a consultative meeting in Bondo, said the Ksh489.9 billion project could expose residents to radiation hazards and threaten the fragile ecosystem of Africa’s largest freshwater lake. The project had initially been proposed for Uyombo in Kilifi County before being relocated to Luanda Kotieno in Siaya.

They announced the formation of a technical committee, led by an engineer, to independently assess the project’s safety and environmental implications.

While some leaders, including Siaya Governor James Orengo, have defended nuclear energy as safe, the elders said local concerns must be fully addressed before any construction proceeds.

The council also raised alarm over gold mining activities in western Kenya, warning that community and ancestral lands are increasingly being acquired without adequate consultation.